The morning news. [volume] (Savannah, Ga.) 1887-1900, 1887-08-09

fcrSune, and when he had don, this was
ready to take seat in the SENATE
There Is no telling how far Secretary
rishs splendid inequalities aid,d Grants
administration in happy settlements of
complications with Great Britain md Spain.
II ls a beggarly salary for suchan Office
So,O0O year. The man who iscapable of
performing the delicate duties OF the office
is capable of earning four or five times that
sum III business or professional life. The
result Is that none but wealthy man can
afford to take the office A poor man either
ought not to have the place or ought not to
De expected to take it. If he is worthy of
fllling 1t the sacrifice is too great to ask of
any man.
Mr.. Eyarts' house rent alone. when he
was Secretary of State cost 5000 a year,
and his expenses were $500 more than
they would have been had lie remained in
private lie. MIR. Frelinghtysen was album
dainty able to pay the great sum he did
above his salary for the honor of serving as
Secretary of State, and Mr. Blaine expected
that the office would entail an expenditure
of SEC, 900 at least
While the demands are not so great upon
other Cabinet officers, they are enough to
| absorb far more than their salary. 1t may
not be Republican or Democratic simplicity;
1t may be abhorrent to the idea of popular
II UuU III eNtSlS,
this social demand. 1t cannot be shaken off,
| and the President in these days who turned
the cold shoulder upon social life would find
his administration in peril
why do you resign this officer | asked
Mr.. Gilfillan, then Treasurer of the United
States.
Because can't carry the responsibility
of handling hundreds of millions of dollars
at salary of $4,000 a year. Why, a bank
th,N ct,,1 DO To-,
that, and paying teller there receives as
much as my cashier does. If am capable
! of serving as Treasurerof the United States
l am capable of earning more than 50, 900 a
year"
He was right in theory, and has found
since his resignation abundant reason for
rendering it.
THE FATEFUL MESSAGE.
In the winter of 1881 member Of Con-
gress from Pennsylvania district was in
despair. He had failed of a denomination
He was in debt, though man Of good
habits. The future looked black to him
| During the six years he had served in
Congress he had lost his law practice and he
| regarded those years as worse than thrown
away. He had got to begin all over again,
and burdened, too, with debt. One evening,
as he sat brooding in despair, a telegram
| came. He opened it perfunctorily. 1t con-
tanned these words
you have been nominated by the Repub-
lican caucus for United States Senator to
succeed Senator Wallace"
Nomination meant election, and Mr.
Mitchell was sure of being a United States
Senator. Yet he hesitated. He did notsee
that it meant anything more than staving
off for six years his trouble, and if he had
| had q dollar in the world he would have de-
| clined the nomination. But he was com
| PEELED to accept the office because it meant
| an income. The six years have gone and
Mr.. Mitchell is out of public life. But he
has bettered but slightly his condition, and
he has always felt that he would have done
well had he followed his impulse when he
| read that telegram.
The experience of men who have been
long in Washington is this
First, that ambitious young men who are
poor had far better keep away. So far as
the clerkships are concerned they are de-
| moralizing. They take the snap, ambition
and vigor out of men and unless early aban-
doned make mere machines out of men.
Let no poor young man come to Congress
| unless he comes determined to save money.
1t is possible in two terms for young man
| to save, while living respectfully, 1900.
| With that he will be able to make a start
| again when he returns to private life. He
| will have to make start. No man, either
engaged in active profession or active bust
ness, goes to Congress without injuring his
business
Let no poor man, and above all no man of
moderate property seek a high Office unless
he is prepared to live as simply as Attorney
General Garland does. 1t will require hero
ism and self-sacrifice, but that will be bet
ter than debt and misery after leaving Of
flee. The day when Office must be given up
will surely come. The poor man who can
not accept official life without the determi-
nation of saving some of the salary will do
well to keep wholly out of it. Nothing but
misery, misfortune and the temptation to
dishonor await him. One cabinet officer
sold his favor because his income was too
small to support his family in the manner
they desired. And the young man who is
building up a professional practice should
shun public life until he has attained pro-
fessional success, Two masters cannot be
served successfully who are SO jealous as
any of the professions and public office are.